Automatic telephone apparatus



March 1,1927. 1 1,619,554

T. B. WILLSON AUTOMATI C TELEPHONE APPARATUS Filed June 5, 1925 WITNESSES INVENTOR Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES TOM B. WILLSON, OF PITTSBU 'RGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE APPARATUS.

Application filed June 5, 1925. Serial No. 35,129.

This invention relates to cleaning devices for dials ofautomatio telephones. a The objects of the invention are to provide an attachment for such telephones for 5 the purpose-of cleaning the figured portion of the dials thereof and of preventing dust from getting into the working mechanism thereo v Referring to the. drawings, Fig. 1 1s a plan view of an automatic telephone dial mechanism, with the cleaning attachment of this iIlVGlltlOIiiIldiCfltEd in connection therewith; Fig. 2 isja side elevation of the dialing mechanism and attachment; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cleaning attachment removed from the telephone; Fi 4 is a plan view of the attachment remove and Fig. 5 is a side view at right angles to-that of Fig. 3, with portions of the cleaning attachment 0 removed.

Referring to Fig. 2 .an ordinary automatic telephone with a dialing mechanism thereon is illustrated. This comprises a telephone base 1, and the upright portion 2 leading 5 to the mouthpiece, which being well understood is not illustrated. Mounted upon the base 1 is the housing 3 of the operating or dialing mechanism. This housing ordinarily has a White enameled face portion 4 upon 0 which letters and figures used in operating the dialing mechanism are printed. The housing has an inner concentrlc raised ortion 5, inside the figured dial face 4, an rotatably mounted outside and on this raised portion 5 is a perforated disk 6, having holes 7 exposing the several figures of the dial face 4, as indicated in Fig. 1. The disk 6 is mounted on the raised portion 5 by attachment to a central noncircular extension 8 attached to mechanism within the housing, and secured by a nut 9. The extension 8 passes freely through the disk 6, so that rotation of the disk 6 turns mechanism located inside the housin 35. A clearance space is provided by t e tele hone makers "between the underside of dlSk 6 and the upper face of the housing 5, and it has been found that in this s ace dust and dirt rapidly aocumulate. hen exposed tousual conditions'of industrial cities, andespecially under unusual conditions such as dusty factories, this accumulation soon reaches the point where the mechanism becomes dirty, imposes wear on its parts and interferes with its operation. The operation of the dial,

which after eachmani ulation must be returned to zero positlon y a spring, becomes uncertain and is appreciably slowed up.

Eventually the disk 6 must be removed and tllile dirt cleaned out to a Means are provided to prevent the gathering of dust and dirt between the outer face of the housing 5 and the inner face of the disk 6, and also for preventing the gathering of dust on the dialface 4. This consists of a circular metal plate 20, having a centrally positioned non-circular opening 21, and a lateral radial extension 22, the edges 23- of the extension being turned down to form a retaining fork or groove for a resilient wiping member 24, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. A resilientring 25 is positioned on the inner face and around the outer ortion of the disk 20, and attached to the disk by any suitable means.

This member 20 and its associated wiping permit operation at member is incorporated in the dialin mech- A anism by removing the disk 6, positioning the disk 20 on the'non-circular portion of the neck '8, and then replacing the disk 6 in operating position. The packing member 25 is of such thickness and of such resiliency as to just fill the space between the outer face of the housing 5 and the inner face of the disk 20 when ositioned as shown in Fig. 2, without resu tin in suificicnt friction to slow up return 0 the disk after manipulation. This forms an effective means for preventing the collection of dust inside the ring, and protects the working parts of the dialin mechanism.

The wiping mem er 24 is of such size that its exposed ace makes. light contact with the enameled dial 4, and it is positioned as shown in F ig'. 1, normally just under the finger-stop member 26, which limits forward movement of the dial in actual manipulation. Consequently by moving the'perfora tion of the disk 6 that normally is. over the portion of the dial marked Operator, around clockwise into. limiting position at the stop 26, thebrush 24 will have passed entirely around the dial face 4, and have cleaned all dust therefrom. The normal use of such telephones will by this attachment keep the dial face clean and the rotating mechanism free from dust and dirt.

The members 24 and 25 are preferably of a soft felt, or similar material.

The advantages of this device, in preventing the gathering of dirt between the removable disk and dialing mechanism housing, which tends to slow up return of the dial to normal position, and of continuously wiping ment, and a brush attached to the underside ofthe supplementary disk and adapted to.

make wiping contact with the dial face.

2. An attachment for automatic telephone dialing mechanisms comprising a stationary figured dial face and a rotatably mounted manipulating disk, the dial face having a central raised housing upon which said manipulating disk is mounted, consisting of a supplementary disk adapted to be posie tioned between the housing and the manipulating disk and to rotate with the latter, a brush carried by the supplementary disk and adapted to make wiping contact with the dial face, and a resilient packing ring carried by the supplementary disk inside the brush and adapted to be positioned between the manipulating disk and the said housing. 3. In combination with the dialing mechanism of an automatic telephonecomprising a dial face a raised central housing and a rotatable manipulating disk mounted on the housing and spaced therefrom, a supplementary disk positioned between the said housing and manipulating disk, and a packing ring carried by the supplementary disk and positioned between the housing and manipulating disk.v

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

TOM B. WILLSON. 

